Reuters) - Tim Pawlenty, a former Republican presidential candidate and a top supporter of Mitt Romney, stepped down from his role in the Romney campaign on Thursday to become a top Washington lobbyist for Wall Street banks.

Pawlenty will become the head of the Financial Services Roundtable, a U.S. bank lobbying group that represents JP Morgan Chase & Co and Wells Fargo & Co, among other financial companies, the group said on Thursday.